A Hyak ferry accident led to the sinking of a 27-foot sailboat 250 feet below the Salish Sea after a collision in heavy fog Friday afternoon, Inquisitr reported Saturday.
According to authorities, the Hyak, a ferry in Washington state, collided with a 27-foot sailboat in waters between Shaw and Orcas islands, few minutes before 1 p.m., and although they still have no clues on how the accident occurred, they believed the severely limited visibility due to heavy fog at that time could have been the main reason behind the collision.
Reports stated that a man in his mid-60s was the only occupant of the sailboat, and he was rescued by another sailboat owner, who took him to Peace island Hospital on San Juan afterwards.
"An older man was sitting on the boat as it was sinking," Suzanne Lyons, who saw the accident from her car, said.
Meanwhile, other witnesses questioned how the ferry operator could have missed the sailboat, when it was visible from where they were standing during the collision.
"The sailboat was a mile north of Lopez in the middle of the shipping lane," Michael Bried, a passenger of the Hyak ferry, said. "I don't know why the ferry pilot didn't see the sailboat."
Authorities said the 27-foot sailboat sank to the floor of the Salish Sea 250 feet below due to the collision, adding that the Hyak ferry can carry up to 2,000 passengers and 144 vehicles.
Fortunately, no injuries due to the Hyak ferry accident were reported, Spokeswoman for Washington State Ferris Marta Coursey told the Seattle Times, adding that all passengers from both vessels were safe.
The afternoon trip planned from Orcas to Anacortes was cancelled after the accident, authorities said.
The ferry was reportedly taken back to Anacortes for inspection while the ship's captain and crew will be subjected to drug and alcohol testing as part of the ongoing investigation on the Hyak ferry accident.
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